


First comes sex, then comes love.

by AuthorInDistress



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Dating, Fluff, M/M, Romance, Something on the side
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-01-17
Updated: 2015-03-17
Packaged: 2018-01-09 01:40:10
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 13,627
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1139928
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AuthorInDistress/pseuds/AuthorInDistress
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Surprisingly, no matter what the tabloids say, Tony meets the guy at a grocery store, of all places, and <i>not</i> at the orgy-full party that he'd supposedly attended the other week before.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Just something I'm writing on the side :)
> 
> This chapter is basically just the beginning, about how they meet, and the rest will be their relationship as they have gotten into it.

.

Surprisingly, no matter what the tabloids say, Tony meets the guy at a grocery store, of all places, and _not_ at the orgy-full party that he'd supposedly attended the other week before. 

He's in a particularly large queue at the time, wearing a baseball cap for good reasons and holding onto a packet of family-sized chips, along with a whole other bunch of stuff because he didn't want to bother with a basket. He's only really there, anyway, because no one else had been bothered and Pepper had canceled junk food for a while - leading to _many_ complaints - and this is how Tony deals with that. Shopping.

Oh the joy of waiting in line to pay other people for the shit you need.

He just hopes that no one here gets the urge to mob him for autographs or something, because he really isn't in the mood for that. 

No one does however, and he's just three people back in the queue when a tap on his shoulder startles him out of his thoughts and leads him to spin around. The case of beer that he's been balancing falls out of his grip and he curses in reflex when trying to catch it. A pair of larger hands grab it for him, however, and he pauses.

"Need a hand?" Tony lifts his gaze to see a pair of grey eyes looking down at him, shining with amusement, "I was going to hand you a basket, actually, before I shamefully made you swear in front of small and innocent children." As though emphasizing this point, an angry mother gives Tony a dirty look.

"Right." Tony takes the basket, giving the guy a look of his own, and dumps his stuff inside, "Thanks. Though, just saying, I probably would have been able to handle it if you'd just asked without touching me."

"I did. You'd zoned out."

"Oh." Tony shrugs, "I was probably ignoring you then." He then says lightly, to make up for how flustered he is at being surprised so easily; intending on making the guy take offense and quiet down, but all he gets is a laugh.

"Yeah well." He says behind him, smiling in good nature, "That'll be the story of my life." Tony's turn at the queue comes just before he finishes, "All the beautiful people in life tend to just walk right past me."

Wait. Did he just? _Hey_. That's Tony's thing.

By the time he turns around, however, his flatterer has moved onto the other side of the counter and is being served by the different cashier. Tony just blinks, raises an eyebrow, and gives more than enough money before leaving without waiting for his change. 

The thing that gets him afterward, though, is that he can't get the guy's face out of his head. The proximity that they'd been in when he'd bent down for the beer had startled him, yeah, but it was mostly what he'd ended up looking at that had led him to backtrack and snark his way out. It's rare for him to see someone that actually makes him double-take, so when it happens he's always taken by surprise each time.

By the time he's home, however, the little buzz under his skin has gone and he throws Clint the chocolate bars that he's been loudly complaining about for three days straight now and puts it to the back of his mind. He still goes to bed thinking of grey eyes, though, but wakes from a dream about the battle of New York. Typical.

It's another two weeks before he sees the guy again, and this time he learns his name. He's at some NBA party this time, perfectly voluntary - mostly because Rhodey had invited him and because he rarely says no to the big guy. It's vise-versa, so hey-ho. 

He's filling up his plate with little pastries and breezing past anyone that asks for him to join them in pictures, before he staggers against someone's outstretched foot and almost collides into the table were it not for hands steadying him, "Easy. I was just about to eat that." He straightens, pushing off and turning to - look up at grey eyes. "Hey. Small world, huh."

Tony frowns a little, "You remember me." It's not a question.

"You're Tony Stark. Man, I told all the guys I helped you with your beer, of course I remember you." He doesn't sound starstruck and it takes about a second for Tony to realize that he's being teased.

"The guys?" He asks instead, popping a pastry into his mouth, "Family?" See. He can make small talk.

"Nah. I'm a baseball player. Kinda why I was invited." He winks, and Tony finds himself a little lost for words. This is usually him, he's being played, and it's so weird to let it happen. He doesn't know how to react. "Luke Faray." He then introduces himself as, holding out a hand for Tony to shake. 

"Tony Stark. But - you already knew that, didn't you."

"Little disappointed you didn't know who _I_ was really."

Tony smiles, "Baseball's not really my game."

"Yeah, a lot of people say that, but then I put them in the stands and _wow_ do they lose it."

Leaning back, Tony snags a sausage roll, "Lose what? Their sanity?"

Luke opens his mouth to retort but then his expression changes and brightens all at once, "Rhodes! Hey!" Tony looks at him in surprise, turning to see Rhodey walk toward them.

"Hey Luke! How are you? Not seen you for a while actually, you been training?"

"Drills."

Tony looks between them, getting a little bored now, "You two ... know each other? Oh wait, I don't care."

Rhodey grins at him, bumping their hips, "Lighten up Tone, you can leave in half an hour. And yeah, this is Luke. Colonel Faray, actually."

Tony slowly turns to look at him, "What happened to baseball?"

Luke just smiles, "Part-time."

"How do you play _baseball_ part-time?"

"You don't know a lot about baseball do you?"

"And I don't want to, so don't try Malfoy."

Rhodey steals one of Tony's pastries, "Well. I can see you two get along. There's your entertainment for the half hour, Tony."

"I resent that." Luke smirks, "That one time I stripped and fucked you, does not count in this stream of things."

Right now, were it anyone else, Tony would be ten seconds from throwing his drink in their face but for some reason he can't help but laugh; especially at the look Rhodey gives them both. "Yeah. You two will _definitely_ get along."

And they do, against all odds.

~

It's a few more parties afterward that Luke offers to buy Tony a drink and doesn't actually disappear like he usually does; getting distracted by another friend and chatting for over an hour before remembering the drink that he was supposed to get. "Hey." Tony says, surprised, taking the drink, "I was just about to go outside - didn't think I'd see you for like another day or so."

"Shut up," He gets a punch on the shoulder and a short laugh and this is nice. It's been ages since he's had a new friendship like this; with Rhodey being the latest one if he's being honest with himself. He'd include Clint, and maybe Steve too, but it's not the same. Here, he's just Tony Stark. With them, it's Tony Stark _and_ IronMan all at the same time and it's a little tough to handle a friendship on top of a working relationship too.

Maybe that's why he enjoys time with Luke so much and actually looks forward to the parties that he knows he'll be at. Luke's funny, hilariously so, filthy-minded with a filthy mouth to go with it, doesn't mind flirting with either men or women, doesn't ask too many questions, sweet and kind in the nice kind of ways and he's gorgeous to look at. What's not to like?

Well. Apparently, a younger officer thinks that there's a lot to hate him for, and most of it points down to the fact that Luke had had a serious boyfriend two years back. Tony doesn't prod but it had still made his blood boil at the assumptions that had been spewed - not to their faces but to others around - and Luke had just taken him away and hadn't let him jump into the conversation and argue.

For the sake of his new friend, he had listened and gone along with him. Now, though, he still wishes he'd at least gotten _one_ punch in.

"Yeah, well I didn't want you to _moan_ about me disappearing again, did I?"

Tony just sips, "Please. I'd be a pretty big hypocrite if I did."

"I'll remind you of that, next time, Tony."

"Screw you," Tony giggles, just on the good side of drunk, "How about you just - " A dancer from behind them slides right into Tony and he falls forward against Luke's chest; spilling his drink all over him, "Shit - "

"Agh. Thanks dude," Luke mutters to the dancer, when they don't even bother to apologize, "I'll bill you. No, no, don't bother giving me an address, I know it already. I'll just send it over to: House no. 69 On "Look at My _ass_ " Street - "

"He's not even listening, Drama Queen," Tony rolls his eyes, "And relax. I'm rich, I'll get you a new one. A better one, even." Luke just pushes him back and gives him a look, pulling his shirt off and throwing it over to the dancer. It lands on his head and Tony snorts, looking away and looking innocent even though it's blatantly obvious that it had been Luke who'd thrown it.

Luke just leans back, his chest on display and the dog-tags he wears dangle around slightly while he adjusts them with a frown. The dancer shouts something and Luke just gives them the finger at the same time as Tony, and they laugh together at the synchronization; drunk on alcohol and each other's company. 

"You should go around shirtless more often." Tony comments as he looks over him appreciatively.

Luke catches his eye and shows off his muscles in a perfect impression of some moron that they've been mocking for three days now, that Tony almost chokes from how much he laughs, "Have dinner with me, babe."

"Ha. Ha." Rolling his eyes, still grinning, Tony sits down on one of the plush seats, "I was being serious about the shirtless thing, by the way. I mean, _mm_."

"Yeah, and I was being serious about the dinner thing too." Luke tells him with a smirk, leaning over him, and it takes more than a couple of seconds for Tony to realize that he actually _is_ being serious. 

"Um." He blinks, rubbing at his head and elated from all the alcohol, "Okay. Sure. Why not?" He pauses, "Uh ... Dinner, where?"

Luke stops, looking both lost and sheepish, "Uh, I don't know. Where do people usually go for dinner?"

Tony snorts, "How about we just get pizza and eat at yours, huh? I've never actually seen it."

"Nah." Luke moves back slightly, "That always leads to sex with me."

"What am I, a blushing bride?" Tony bats his eyes up at him, and Luke makes a face, "What's the matter, _you're_ not the virgin are you?"

After fiddling with his dog-tags one more time, Luke then curls his lips to one side in another smirk and leans down closer. It's almost a surprise that they kiss, though not really. Not entirely. It's been building for ages, but as usual, it takes being drunk for Tony to act on whatever he's feeling. Evidently, the same goes for Luke too.

They linger for a bit, gently teasing, parting their lips and Tony sucks in a sharp breath when Luke suddenly pulls him to his feet by his hands and deepens the kiss, "Sex is fine then." He murmurs breathlessly, and Tony only nods, grinding to the music and letting Luke lead him out. 

~


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two months after they started dating.

.

"Okay. Do you prefer either ... big guns, crossbows, bow-and-arrow, or axes?"

Tony looks at him, "I've never even used half of those before."

"Well, for the sake of the test, pretend you're a Game of Thrones character."

"They don't use guns, though." He points out.

Luke pauses, and Tony has to snort at the expression on his face, before he then dramatically corrects himself with: "... a Game of Thrones character who's been _transported_ to the future and accidentally kills a street thug who was being less-than-honorable and sparks off a gangster war that they've then got to fight in, then."

"That would actually be a pretty good idea for a show." His boyfriend beams at him; tomato puree on the side of one cheek. "You know, if you ignored copyright and all that."

"Tell that to my producer," Luke grunts before touching the screen of the tablet when it starts to blank out and groaning in impatience, "Would you just answer the fucking question already, I can feel my skin _aging_ from the wait."

Tony laughs softly, stretching from where he's lying back on the sofa, his head in Luke's lap, "Um ... I don't know." He says, but at Luke's look, he finally says, "Okay. I'll go with crossbows. They've always seemed pretty cool and a bow-and-arrow just kind of reminds me of Hawkeye and I'd rather not give him the hero-worship ammo."

Luke looks down at him, reaching over for a slice of pizza and holding his tablet in his other hand, "What about 'big guns'?" He asks, clicking on Tony's option anyway, and smiling with his mouth full when Tony grimaces at the view he gets.

"I prefer the small ones," Tony says, slowly sitting up and getting a slice of his own, "Like your arms." He then quips.

"You love my arms." Luke counters, "If you were Rossetti you'd _paint_ my arms all day long."

Tony raises an eyebrow, leaning closer and taking a huge bite from the pizza, "Yeah, except Rossetti was a _poet_."

"I meant the brother one, _actually_ , genius."

Tony glances at him, "She had a brother?"

"Yeah," Luke waves the phone toward the television, "They made a show about it. I used to watch it." He looks at Tony, "How'd _you_ know about the sister one?"

"So, uh, what's the next question?" Tony says quickly, knowing that it'll make Luke laugh, and when it _does_ , he steals a bite of his pizza just so he can get the only pepperoni slice that's on it. He doesn't expect Luke to turn, however, and to kiss him before he can, and then _his_ pizza is bitten instead. Figures.

"Okay. Question number 11: do you prefer ... to go on long walks in the forest, kill a bunch of people, go on secret service missions, or protect the one ring of the dark lord from all evil?"

"Uh - 'kay." Tony frowns, thinking, before mock-seriously stating, "Protect the one ring."

"You would not," Luke protests, grinning, and selecting the 'going on long walks' option, "I've seen you wandering though the forests Maid Marion and I know - "

"That I'm the hottest piece of flesh ever, and that all the Robin Hoods want me. Yeah, whatever. I'll go with walks, only because the other options suck. Move on."

"Yes, _sir_. Now - oh wait, that was the last one."

"Thank _God_. I felt under so much pressure."

Luke grins at him, jostling his shoulder until Tony has to lean against his chest instead, and that's fine. It's comfier, in fact, "Okay. According to this, if you were in a _Movie_ , you would be in either Star Wars or Gladiator."

"Big difference between the two."

"Yeah, the quiz sucks, we established that after the second question babe." Scanning the tablet, Luke scrolls and then continues, "In a TV show, you would be in either Firefly or - " He snorts, "Or Veronica Mars."

"What?" Tony reaches for the tablet, "Give me that - !" He misses on the first try, but only because his fingers fumble, and by the time he can get into a better position to grab at it, Luke's moved too and he's pushed backward over the sofa. Luke leans over him, putting the tablet on the table and pinning Tony with his arms, "Uh oh. Here comes the pretend bad-guy scene."

"Pretend?" Luke's eyes take on a darker glint and he leans closer, his breath washing over Tony's lips, "What makes you think this is pretend? I could be an assassin, sent to murder you, and this is finally my chance to - "

Tony pulls free an arm and wiggles his fingers just against Luke's neck, making him spasm and let go of him, "Ticklish much?"

Luke sits back, making a face, "Assassins can be ticklish."

Tony tilts his head at him, smiling, "Only the cute ones."

Luke opens his mouth to respond but Tony's phone buzzes on the table before either of them can say anything else, "Apologies Sir." JARVIS' voice rings out, "But the Avengers have requested your assistance with an event occurring in a theater not far from you."

"Theater?" Luke asks, looking at him, "Doesn't sound serious."

Tony's already standing and walking away to grab one of his bracelets, and he answers whilst snapping it on, "Might not be, but we've still got to check it out." He glances up then, "Sorry. You know the drill, I - "

"Hey, who cares?" Luke shrugs, "Not like I'm gonna miss you, or worry or anything, is it?" Tony smiles, softly this time, and takes the hand that reaches for him, "But you better come back in one piece."

"One day you're going to have to tell me how you became so eloquent." Luke kisses him in answer, hot and hard, pushing him back a step and Tony takes the opportunity to wrap his arms around his neck, "Don't take the call from your General before I get back. I want to see you off, if you do have to leave, okay." Luke nods, his smile still there but it's only an echo now that the more serious aspect of their relationship has come to light.

"Sure. I'll just - quiz myself while you're gone. See if I get better results."

The armor gradually starts coming through the open window and Tony lets it cover his body, "Hey. Can't get any better than Veronica Mars." And then he's gone.

 

* * *

 

Turns out, it wasn't really worth the attention of the Avengers. Only a couple of too-smart-for-their-own-good kids fiddling around with a machine of their own creation. Tony had taken it down before anyone else had really gotten there and SHIELD detained the girls immediately, talking about both keeping an eye on them and on their potential.

Still. Debriefing, paperwork, and everything else takes forever and it's dark by the time he's finally able to leave. Steve corners him just before, however, asking about how the tower hasn't seen him lately and how they've all been wondering where he's been.

Tony just says that he's busy, waving it off, and flying back to Luke's before Steve can get anything else off his chest. It's not that he doesn't want to tell anyone about him and Luke - they _have_ been together for almost two months now - but in both their lines of work, relationships can be difficult. Luke would have to go through _tonnes_ of tests before even being allowed to meet the Avengers and some army-guys give him a hard enough time that if he starts showing up in tabloids, it'll just get a whole lot worse. Not to mention the fact that Tony really can't deal with that kind of publicity anymore; he's lost that need to be the centre of attention after the debacle involving him and some teenager.

He had been drunk, a teen had kissed him when he'd been leaning against a fence, and some paparazzi douche had snapped a photo of it. Pedophile implications hadn't stopped until about two weeks afterward and Luke had been the only one besides himself that hadn't found the situation the least bit funny. Well. Pepper hadn't either, but she'd been _angry_. Luke had been nice about it, comforting, and distracting.

Speaking of, when Tony takes the armor off and heads toward the bedroom, he's not surprised to see the guy in question already asleep under the covers; straight as a ruler and practically standing to attention were he not lying down.

Smiling, he walks to the side of the bed he's on, undressing as he goes and bending to brush his lips over his forehead. It's not a gesture he's ever really wanted to do to a partner but for some reason, he likes to when it comes to Luke. He scrunches his face up at the touch every time, and turns onto his side as though craving another and Tony likes that. Likes knowing that once he's kissed that one spot, he can then curl up under an arm and expect to be cuddled with.

Were he himself two years ago, he'd scoff and call himself sappy. If he met himself right now, from two years back, he's tell his past-self to fuck off and let him enjoy the moment for once. He can indulge, right. It's nice to do it and anyway, it's not like they're being _complete_ sops. Sarcasm is a huge part of their relationship.

"Mm." Luke pulls him closer straight away, his hands sliding down Tony's bare back, "You're freezing. Is it cold out?"

"No." Tony whispers back, "You're just a furnace. You'll kill me in my sleep one time, you know. Burn me to death."

"Well I _am_ an assassin remember. It's my job." Tony rolls his eyes, closing them, and pressing himself closer. "I'll be nice enough to bury you, though. I'll even write a song for the occasion. Just like the sister-Rossetti."

Tony moans under his breath, wrapping an arm around Luke and nuzzling his head against his chest until he's comfortable, "She's a _poet_ , you moron. Not a song-writer. "

Luke yawns, poking Tony's ass with his ring finger, "Sorry, genius."

"You better be. Now shut up, I'm sleeping."

"But I waited for sex."

"Wait longer."

"How long? Until you're a burnt-to-death corpse? Not sure I'd want to fuck you then. I mean, saggy and crispy and - "

"Oh God - " Hitting him in the face with a pillow would probably have been more effective, were Tony not laughing so hard while he did it.

Oh well. It's not like there's anyone here to judge him for it.

.


	3. Chapter 3

* * *

 

The sound of something scraping over metal is quite possibly one of the most jaw-clenching sounds out there, and it's definitely not a sound that Tony ever wanted to hear so early in the fucking morning, "Oh God. Luke. Luke!" He covers his ears, wincing, "Jesus, what are you _doing_?" Rolling over, still covering his ears with the pillow, he glares at the clock, whining, "Fuck, Luke, it's _2 am_... !"

The scraping suddenly stops, then, immediately before the mattress dips as his irritatingly wide-awake boyfriend leant over him, " _Sorry_ ," Tony only groans in response, squeezing the pillow tighter, "I just wanted to get it done before you got up."

Well, that gets a pause. 

Sitting up now, Tony looks at him, raising his eyebrows and pushing his hair from his face, "Get _what_ done?" He tries to look past him after a second, craning his neck to try and catch sight of what whatever it had been that he'd been dragging, but Luke's shoulders rise to hide it from view, " _Luke_ ... what are you doing?" All he gets, however, is a grin, so he just groans again; curling back under the blankets, "Fine. Just as long as you're quiet, carry on."

"Um. I _can't_ make it quiet."

"Then don't _do_ it." Yes, he's being petulant, but he's fucking tired and it's 2am. Sue him. There's a pause then, and the mattress dips one more time, so he assumes Luke's gone to dispose of the thing he was dragging before. Cracking one eye open, he tries again to catch a look of it, curiosity winning over his tiredness for now, but suddenly Luke's back and he shuts them again - quickly.

A second later, headphones are jammed over his ears, with some Blacksabbath playing on repeat.

"Ugh." He sighs, putting the volume up when he can still hear the scraping over it and rolls over again, burrowing under the blanket to smother the noise even better.

The things he puts up with.

 

* * *

 

It's just after 10:00 when he wakes up again and Luke's curled beside him now, an arm around his waist and the worst case of bed hair sticking up all over his face. Tony smiles at him, pushing out of his embrace and yawning just the once before falling out of the bed and heading for the bathroom.

Luke finally gets up too, only when he's in the kitchen and the donut in his hand is snatched away before he can even bite into it, "That doesn't count as breakfast."

Tony snatches for it back, "Don't baby me. It's 11am, I can eat a fucking donut."

"10am." Luke corrects, eating the donut all in one go - effectively stopping Tony from eating it himself - and practically shoving it into his mouth.

Tony stares at him, one hand still raised to grab it with his other already reaching for another donut, and for the shake that's now finally finished in the blender, "You're disgusting."

"Wu luff it." Luke mumbles around crumbs of donut and Tony hides a snort behind his drink. "Anyway." He swallows, eventually, and wipes at his mouth - grabbing the shirt that he always leaves hanging on the spinning chair and pulling it down over his head. He's brushed his hair back like he usually does, already, and any evidence of him sleeping has now gone. Still. Tony dodges his kiss, still hiding behind his shake, smiling at the kicked puppy look he gets, "I'm glad you're awake now. I want to show you something."

"Not interested." Tony yawns, before pausing, "Wait. Was this what you were dragging around before, because - " He has to snap his mouth shut, however, when Luke suddenly grabs him by the wrist and practically drags him backward out the kitchen, "Wha - ?" He leaves his shake behind just in time, before it spills all over him, but they only move into the entertainment room anyway. "You've finally gone mad." He mutters, taking his wrist back, still clinging to his donut.

 _This_ entertainment room isn't really much to speak about. It's a lot smaller than the one at the Avengers tower, but - as Natasha had just reminded him the other day - partners of team members need to be checked over, interviewed, and given the 'okay' before being allowed to stay; _despite_ it being Tony's own tower anyway - so because of that he's not actually mentioned Luke at all and they've stayed in the mansion instead.

Or at Luke's, whenever they're in New York.

The mansion's entertainment room, though, is only made up of a single huge television, consoles, and some of the best speakers Tony could make on his days off. Right now, however, the entire carpeted floor has been replaced with a huge electronic dance-mat - the kind that flash multi-coloured spotlights all over the place - with a huge DJ table against the wall, as well, and a _90s disco ball_ rotating around the ceiling. " _Huh_?" Luke gestures with a grin, sweeping a hand around to show his handy-work. The disco ball reflects light into Tony's eyes when he steps to the left; taking a huge, slow bite out of his donut and ignoring the jam that slides out of it and sticks to his shirt, "What do you think?"

Tony blinks once. Twice. But no, it's still there. "I think I want you to pack it all up." He says, turning on his heel, about to head back to the kitchen but Luke gets in his way.

"Wait, wait, wait. Look, it's only for a day." Tony raises an eyebrow. "Really. I swear. Just one day."

He sighs, "Then ... I guess it's good enough for a couple of old boogies? But," He makes a face, "Is there a reason for this? Or did I miss the 90s memo?"

Luke smiles at him now, softly, "It's for me and you."

Tony blinks a third time, slowly, "Right."

Luke exhales, his hands at his hips as he braces himself, "We don't do anniversaries, I know," He raises both hands, in surrender, "I remember the talk. It's too - _commitment-y_ was the word, I think you used?" Sounds about right. "But. 6 months is a pretty big deal. For me at least. I don't know what it is for you." 6 months is more than a fucking big deal for Tony actually, but he keeps quiet instead, "So I figured we'd do something, you know? Just something. We don't have to call it an anniversary if you don't want to, but I can invite some people, from my side and yours, and we can just have a bit of 90s fun for a night. Hm?" He waits, looking very anxious, "What do you think now?"

Tony licks a drop of jam from his lip while he looks at him with the same blank expression that he's had this whole time.

"Not doing so well on the ' _great idea, Luke_!' part, huh." Tony's lips twitch at that, and unfortunately Luke sees that as an opening. He flaps his arms from under his armpits, bobbing his head like a pigeon, "I do a pretty good chicken dance, though. You'll be missing out." That does draw out just a little laugh, a blurt really, but then Luke's near enough to try and get Tony to join in with him and then they're both laughing. "I know anniversaries aren't your thing, but I promise. You'll have fun, really, and - " Tony presses their lips together, curling his fingers at the brush of hair at the back of Luke's neck, to shut him up.

"Maybe they could be my thing." He murmurs, and Luke smiles in response, ducking in for another kiss before pressing on the DJ table's buttons to get there to be some S Club playing through Tony's speakers, " _That_ , though, really isn't. Seriously, get rid of the disco ball and the DJ. _I'll_ handle the music."

Luke snorts but switches it off, "Can I at _least_ keep the mat?" Tony gives it a look of disgust. It must be vintage at least. " _Please_. I've not had one of these since I was 13."

"With good reason." Tony mutters, smiling though when Luke spins him around just to make each square beneath them light up, "Alright." He sighs then, "Keep it. But it's _gone_ tomorrow. I won't have anything pre-2012 in my mansion."

Luke rolls his eyes, jumping up to catch the disco ball and pull it down, "You got it babe."

"By the way," Tony asks, taking a seat and just watching as Luke hauls the DJ table away. That explains the scraping at least, "Who are you inviting?"

"Just some old army friends. And a few others. No family. I mean, if they even _accepted_ me as I am, they don't really like music either. Or _you_ , for that fact."

"Oh." Tony scratches at the back of his head, not really reacting to that. He's used to it, after all. Still, whenever it comes to anything that's about his childhood and pre-army days, Luke's surprisingly closed-lipped about it all when he's usually so open. In inappropriate ways half the time too. Tony's known not to ask, he's been there himself with all his bad memories, but the curiosity does eat his up. Maybe some friends can fill him in. "Like who?"

"You won't know half of them."

"Try me."

"Uh, okay. I'll give you a few. Amy Greincher?" Tony shrugs. "Right. Jack Pouler, Kristoff Martiv, Libson ... Never-can-remember-her-surname," Tony smiles, "And there's a Jason Makrov too. I'm getting Rhodey too, and everyone's bringing in a plus-one. I also wanted there to be room for whoever _you_ wanna invite. I mean, you haven't told the Avengers yet, so I didn't know who else to ask."

Tony shrugs, "Rhodey's fine. This won't be Pepper's scene but I'll ask anyway, and Happy'll definitely come. I'd love to meet _your_ friends more."

Luke grins at him, giving the table one last shove until it's finally off the mat, "Oh you'll love Amy. Trust me."

Tony doesn't answer that other than making a ' _we'll see_ ' face, before standing and heading back to the kitchen, "So long as she doesn't chicken dance like you, we'll be fine."

"I chicken dance great, babe."

"Sure you do."

He doesn't actually hear Luke coming up behind him, later than he should have liked, and before he knew it he's being lifted up by the waist high enough to actually get his feet off the ground, " _Hey_ \- !" He kicks out on reflect, and they both fall backward against the sofa then, half-heaving, half-laughing, before Luke suddenly freezes just as he realises that the half eaten donut is now stuck to his hair.

Tony freezes too, his lips pressed together to smother his cackling, "Uh ... " But when Luke lunges for him he dodges, lets them out, and leaps out for way, "N - You can't blame _me_ , you grabbed me first - !" He's laughing too hard to get enough breath to continue running, so eventually he's caught.

They end up having a shower together anyway, though, so it doesn't really matter.

 

* * *

 

 

"So when will you tell the Avengers about me?" Luke asks, making horns out of Tony's hair with the shampoo while Tony makes spikes with his, "Or are you waiting for me to leave you, or for you to leave me?"

Tony nudges him, "Shut up. You're spoiling my masterpiece. And trust me, if I wanted you gone, you would be already."

"Oh I believe that. So? When?"

"It's not that simple. You'd have to go through tonnes of forms and interviews just to be able to _step_ into the fucking tower, let alone talk to them."

"No, no. I get _that_." Luke dabs a bit of foam on the tip of Tony's nose, "I just meant _telling_ them. Letting them know. Meeting will take longer, so we can leave that for a bit."

"Oh." Tony bites his lip, washing the soap off of his face and leaning against the steamed glass of the cubicle. "I - don't know." He rolls his shoulders, thinking, "I don't really want them to know, to be honest. I don't know what their stance on it will be."

None of them are in relationships right now, until you counted Natasha and Clint, but they were both so uptight about that no one was really sure. Plus, he doesn't know how they'll react to a _man_ , much less anyone else.

Luke runs a hand down his bare arm, "Hey, it's okay. I didn't mean to make it sound like you _had_ to. Whenever you're ready, Tony. Really."

Tony pushes the hand off, leaning closer until they're then pressed together; rubbing up in ways that are always nice to feel, "I'm surprised no one knows about you already. Usually the paparazzi is practically swarming the place."

Luke grins, curling his arms around him and dipping him even closer, "Yeah, well. Most of our dates are inside, aren't they. And when they're _not_ , we're careful. Most people will probably just think we're just pals, or something. Like you and Rhodey."

"Until I announce we're not." Tony finishes quietly, a stab of fear actually hitting him at the thought.

"Only if you want to." Luke adds softly, "You don't owe the world shit. Or _me_ for that matter." Fuck. What did he do to deserve him. Tony leans up on his tip-toes, wrapping his own arms around Luke's neck in response and kissing him, grinding his hips forward.

" _Sir_." JARVIS suddenly interrupts, making them jump and pull apart, "I am sorry to disrupt, but Colonel Rhodes is here."

Uh oh. They immediately share a look. The last time Rhodey had walked in on them ... well. It hadn't exactly worked out very nicely.

"We should - " Luke starts, gesturing with his thumb and backing up.

"Yeah." Tony agrees, walking out with him. He pulls on a robe around himself while Luke just wraps his torso with a towel, and they walk out together, toward the door, "Let him in JARVIS. But _don't_ let him see what happened to the entertainment room." Luke gives him a look, to which Tony smiles innocently, and adds. "Not _yet_ , anyway."

"What do you think he wants?"

"You invited him remember."

"Oh yeah." Tony snorts, rolling his eyes.

"You can tell him it's an anniversary thing if you want, I won't mind."

Luke looks at him, "Really?"

Tony stops walking, giving him a long look, thinking - for once - before speaking, "Yeah." He says finally, sincerely, "Really." Luke's lips stretch into a smile just as sincere, "But don't grope me in front of Rhodey. It's hilarious to rile him, but I'm the one that gets the comments afterward."

"You should have heard the shovel talk." Luke laughs, fixing his towel, "His threats were pretty impressive, Tony. Seriously."

"That's the point." Rhodey says dryly, entering the room.

Luke turns to face him, putting an arm around Tony and immediately squeezing his ass. "Grope."

.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To those who wanted to know more about Luke. Your chance will come in the next chapter ;)


	4. Chapter 4

* * *

 

 

The party doesn't take too long to get into full swing, and before too long everyone's either drunk or getting there, and having a _lot_ of fun.

Tony stays away far from the alcohol, having had too many conversations from people asking if he'd like a drink, and with his very recent sobriety, he'd rather not start another one. Rhodey sticks with him at first, patting his back in comfort when he gripes at how old fashioned the dance-mat is, but the music is at least okay now - thanks to him - and there's enough room for everyone to mingle and to dance.

Luke chats with his friends mostly, dragging Tony alone with him to introduce his 'boyfriend', and Rhodey leaves to start his own conversations as well.

"You know when Luke told us he was dating Tony Stark, I literally laughed in his face." Amy Greincher tells him, drinking from her plastic cup and bobbing to the music as she stands, leaning against her partner; a guy whose name Tony can't quite remember, "I don't think he's forgiven me yet, either, but seeing you. Here. It's pretty amazing."

"Tony's just a person." Rhodey murmurs as he eavesdrops, passing the three of them by and heading over to the drinks.

Tony grins at him, "Ignore him, he's lying. Tell me more about how amazing I am."

Amy laughs, her partner joining in - though his is a little forced. If Tony had to guess, he'd say that the guy really doesn't enjoy partying. "I'll leave that to Luke, I think. Won't want him to get jealous."

"Luke's not the jealous type." Her partner mutters, smiling. Jack? Jake? No no, it was _Jason_ , wasn't it? Right. "He _can_ get competitive, though. He'd probably just try and get one up on someone else's compliments each time."

Tony laughs, "Sounds about right, yeah."  
  
They carry on like that, with the topics ranging from Luke, to Stark Industries, to IronMan, to Luke, to Tony's cars, and to their relationship. It's around that time, actually, that Luke grabs Tony and draws him away, introducing him to some of his army guys - who Tony knows anyway, from Rhodey. 

"Mr Stark." They offer with smiles and handshakes, and he salutes like an idiot, just to make them laugh. He pointedly doesn't mention how anyone who's been so blatantly homophobic before isn't invited, because though it makes sense, they're all here from the same squad so it must be strange to be without a few of them. Still. _Good._ This is their ... anniversary thing.

No fighting allowed.

Tony leaves them at their re-bonding after a while and wanders through the party, bumping into faces that he's seen before a few times and ignoring how some of them try and get him to ' _change his mind about keeping Luke around_.'

It's a little distasteful, really, to assume that he'd be so ready to cheat or drop someone when he's been with them for _six months_ now, but the tabloids are probably mostly to blame for that. He sighs, sipping at some coke while browsing through the little pick'n'mix that Luke had insisted on having, the _child_.

"Hey," Arms suddenly encircle around his waist from behind and he smiles, leaning back, "Having fun?"

"Yeah, actually. Your friends are pretty nice. Though, honestly, I was a little afraid there might be some hazing involved." He mostly feels Luke laugh from behind him and then there's a kiss at the back of his neck, making him cringe at the sensation.

"Can the PDA, guys." Amy's voice filters through the music toward them and Luke steps back, letting Tony spin around to face her. He keeps an arm at his waist though, and it's nice, feeling it there. Feels good in a way Tony's not had in a long time. "You'll make people cry."

Luke presses a kiss to Tony's mouth, ignoring her, "I'll leave you in Amy's haze-free hands, then. I think I just saw an asshole at the entrance trying to get in." Asshole, probably as in some idiot who wasn't invited and is kicking up a fuss about that fact.

Tony raises an eyebrow at that, leaning into the kiss. "Use JARVIS to warn him off, he can scare people easily enough. The terminator impression is getting scarily good."

Luke snorts at that, grinning, "Duly noted." And then, with just one more little touch, he slides his arm off and heads for the doors. Tony watches him go, barely acknowledging how Amy fills the gap left behind by him and leans against the table as well.

"He. Is. _Whipped_." She comments. Tony doesn't reply to that, not entirely sure if that's meant to be a good thing or not, and he doesn't really think that it's true anyway. Because he's not. Not really, "Which is - good, I guess. He needs it."

Perfect. Here's his opportunity. Tony glances at her, noticing how her dark hair catches some of the light from around them, shining it a lighter brown than it is, "What do you mean?"

She frowns then, just a little, her earrings bouncing when she shakes her head, "Well, because of his childhood, you know." She answers with a tone that tells that she thinks he knows about this, but something must evidently show on his face because only a second after, she tilts her head back and sighs, "He hasn't told you."

Okay. "Sounds ... ominous."

She smiles, a little subdued now, "It's not so bad, just - affected him a lot, I guess." Glancing toward the door, she watches as Luke chats with someone else now, distracted so easily as he usually is. "Isn't my right to tell you, either."

"I'd really rather know, actually." He presses, "And believe me, I've _tried_ asking already." She looks at him, chewing on a sweet that she picks from the bowl next to her, "I don't want to pressure him into saying things he doesn't want to, because I'm not that kind of twat, but if it's something that I need to know, then I'd really rather know _now_ than later."

Her expression ranges from sceptical to understanding for a minute, and she chooses another sweet as she thinks. Tony lets her take her time, finishing the rest of his coke as he waits, "You know where Luke was raised?"

"Mississippi."

She nods, slowly, "Yeah, and like most of the people there, his parents were religious. _Really_ religious." Tony pours himself another glass of coke, sort of guessing where this is going now, "You get the picture, I'm sure. When he came out, they kicked him out of the house and blah, blah. He had nowhere to go besides a friends house. Mine, to be exact." She smiles then, clearly remembering some good times, "He was such a dork, growing up, I couldn't say no to him. Especially not when I saw the black-eye that he had."

Tony frowns, his own memories stirring just a little, "They _hit_ him?"

She nods, "His dad did, yeah. Always used to, but that night was the worse. Sticks with him, I guess too." Making a face that shows her disgust at it, she viciously chews at her sweet, "School changed too, then. His brothers spread rumours about him, and - "

"Brothers?"

"He doesn't mention them to anyone, don't worry. Pretends they don't exist because they sort of ruining his education. Made people think he was some awful, diseased person. He couldn't _wait_ to get out of that shit-hole. Even trained the accent out of him as well, like he'd never been there at all."

Tony grimaces, "Don't blame him."

"Yeah." She straightens a little then, Tony's cue that Luke must be coming back, "That's what I meant. He needs someone like you."

Tony scoffs, "Someone who risks their _lives_ every day?" He grins, trying to turn to conversation light again.

Amy shrugs, "Well, _he_ can't complain, he does that himself anyway. I mean his entire _squad's_ moving on a mission in two days time as well, so it'll be your turn to worry soon."

Tony freezes up. _What?_

"Come again?"

Her smile drops immediately when she sees the expression on his face, and she bites her lip, wincing when Luke finally reaches them, "Shit, you didn't know, did you."

"Know what?" Luke asks, smiling at them both. He reaches to put a hand on Tony's shoulder, his grin dimming when it's rebuffed. "Tony?"

Amy shrugs his grip off, shaking her head at him in what must be her disapproving face, "Luke. You need to talk." She takes Tony's drink from him, setting it down. "See you around Tony, it was great to finally meet you."

"Yeah, you too." He settles for, following her with his eyes as she finds Jason and takes them both out the exit. Luke frowns, confused, and turns to look at Tony for an explanation but all he gets is a long look and his back as Tony turns to walk away.

"Hey," He moves in front of him, blocking his path, "Hey, what happened, what did I do?"

Tony runs a hand down his face, "Nothing. I'll tell you after the party, I'd really rather not have an audience for this."

Luke's frown deepens but he nods, a little warily now, "Okay. Sure." They drift apart during the rest of it, then, and Tony finds Rhodey just before he leaves.

"Thanks for the party, man." He's patted on the back and smiles in return, "And happy anniversary." _That_ makes him laugh, and he slaps a hand that reaches to ruffle his hair - something Rhodey hasn't done in years.

"You're welcome, and thank you." Tony says in as posh an accent as he can muster, "Wish your army pals good luck, from me too," He sneaks in, "For that little mission thing. In two days time."

Rhodey doesn't react at all to that, in any way that makes Tony think that it's not supposed to be a secret, and that just makes him angrier. "Sure. How'd you know that _I_ wasn't going too?"

This time, his smile is more forced than anything. "You would have told me."

 

**_~_ **

* * *

**_~_ **

 

Luke finds him in the bedroom, after the last of them have all gone. He's on his phone, texting Pepper about tomorrow's board meeting and how he'd rather move it to the end of the week. She's been arguing over it for the past ten minutes.

"Hey." Is the same greeting as always, albeit a little quieter than usual. "You okay?"

Tony nods, leaning against the pillows, "Pepper's being picky."

"About what?"

"Stuff. It's nothing I can't handle." Luke nods, slowly, coming up to sit on the edge of the bed, rubbing at the back of his neck and looking everywhere that's not Tony.

"So, uh." He places his own phone down on the covers, clenching his hand around it, and clearing his throat, "Amy told me."

Tony swipes his finger over the phone's screen, "Did she."

"Yeah. I'm sorry."

"It's fine." He replies to something that Pepper says, still not looking up at all until a hand cups his cheek and lifts it up to face Luke's.

"No it's not _._ "

Right. Switching the phone off, Tony sets it aside as well and shuffles himself backward a little, "Okay, so it's not. Then why keep it from me, if you knew that?" Luke looks down, letting him vent, "A month, a week, I wouldn't have minded but _two fucking_ days _Luke?_ Jesus."

"I know." Luke sits closer, crossing his legs and facing Tony completely, "I'm sorry, I know. I'm just not used to telling someone about this."

"Bullshit."

"It's ... classified."

"Nice try, I asked Rhodey already. And, _FYI_ , I've got a higher clearance than you in shit like this, you complete _dipstick_." There's a moment of quiet after that, before Luke's lips twitch at his own stupidity, starting Tony off as well, and then they're falling into laughter. Tony shoves him back, trying to stop it, "It isn't funny!"

"I know." Luke repeats from before, grabbing Tony's hands as they push him and holding them against his chest, "And I really am sorry, I swear."

"I don't care about apologies, Luke." Tony snaps, tugging his hands back, but they're held pretty firm, "I wanna know why you didn't tell me. If you don't trust me, then I want to know _now_ and not later because _you_ know a lot about me but I know _nothing_ \- "

"That's all because I didn't want to _hurt_ you, Tony." Luke protests, "My family, my work. I didn't want to hurt you with it all."

"I'm _IronMan_." Tony reminds him, "I _guarantee_ you, I've been through much worse than whatever you can bring up."

Luke softens then, looking at him properly, "Exactly." He murmurs, and Tony stops pushing at that, meeting his gaze; startled, "So why the hell do you think that I'd ever want to add to that? However little."

But - 

Tony stares at him, not quite sure what to say to that, and he gets the sincerity immediately - blinking twice before darting his eyes down to look at the covers instead. "And that's the truth this time."

"Yeah, I - " He makes a face, "I got that, already."

"Good." Luke scoots himself forward, until their knees touch, "And, look, Tony. I - would have told you, I swear, but I really _meant_ when I said I'm not used to telling someone about these kinds of things."

Tony rolls his eyes, "Yeah, well me neither, but I still tell _you_." He then points out, glaring, "And you tell me about other ops, anyway, so what's so different about this one?"

"Those were _planned_ ops, where we have back-up and air-support. It won't be like that this time, and not telling you sort of - I don't know, it - "

Oh. "Made it seem like it wasn't happening." Tony finishes for him, lowering his voice, " ... that bad?"

"It'll be pretty dangerous, yeah."

Well that sucks all the anger out.

Tony nods, pressing his lips together, and he moves himself closer now as well, wrapping his arms around Luke's neck and pressing them together. "Be careful, then. Idiot."

Luke pushes forward, making them tumble back until he can lean over Tony completely as he lies over the bed, "I will, jackass."

"I mean it." Tony warns, "I like having you around." Luke smiles, leaning in for a kiss, but Tony darts back at the last second, "Promise me."

" _Tony_ \- "

" _Promise_ me you'll be careful." Firmer now, serious, and Luke pauses as he looks down at him, his smile dropping to show how serious he can be too.

"I promise."

Tony lets out a breath then, closing the distance between them and pulling Luke closer with the arms that are still around his neck. He worries, still, of course he does, but right now - like this - he can forget it for a moment and just enjoy Luke around him.

And that's why he can understand why Luke didn't tell him. The same reason he wouldn't tell anyone else about the paladium poisoning, either.

Because telling someone else only makes it _real_. 

 

* * *

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Avengers find out next chapter :)


	5. Chapter 5

.

* * *

.

"You were kidnapped again."

"No." Rolling his eyes and ignoring him as best he can, Tony walks past Clint with a cereal bowl in hand and the spoon in his mouth, "Stop it already."

"Not until I find out where you were."

Tony only sits over the sofa, munching on his breakfast while Clint frowns beside him, thinking of another possible explanation for Tony's decision to be absent from the tower for a few days.

"You finally realized you love Rhodey and spend all this time fucking him in Malibu!"

"Could you say that again please? I need to record it and show him personally, just to see his face."

"That'd be a _no_ , then." Glaring at the television, currently playing the news on silent as it usually is, Clint slouches in his disappointment that he can't figure it out.

"Look, if it was your business, I'd tell you." Drinking the milk from the bowl now, Tony wipes at his mouth, "But it's not. So forget it."

He does need to tell them though, he knows that, but he doesn't want to without Luke at his side for the conversation as well. It doesn't seem fair to just spring it on him when he returns that he'd finally told them and that he has to fill out forms and be questioned and tested before being allowed to see them afterward for the first time.

He'll just wait until he comes back from the mission. It's been two months already and he's spoken to him through a badly connected phone just the once, finding out that his squad is called 092 in case he needs to know and that he won't be able to contact anyone after this call before they're going 'dark'. He'd told him he loved him, for the third time ever, then, and still remembers the way it had been automatically returned afterward too.

He feels warm whenever he does and finds himself smiling as well.

"Something is going on with you, Tony," Clint mutters, giving him a look that suggests Tony's got that mellow expression on right now, "You either tell me or I'm going to go all PI on you and find out for myself."

"Just because I'm happier than you nowadays, doesn't mean something's going on." He stands to dispose of his bowl, wiping his sticky fingers in Clint's hair - disappointed when it doesn't get him a reaction at all, "It just means that life is good for me right now, that's all."

"Yeah, but  _wh_ _y?_ " Frowning again, he leans forward, "You aren't getting back with Pepper again are you?"

"Nope."

"I give up."

Laughing, Tony heads for the kitchen, "Thank God." His phone buzzes in his pocket just as he places the bowl down, and he slides it open one handed, looking down at the alert blinking at him.

 

**Rhodey, 12:34**

**SQUAD 092 is supposed to be on the news today. Tune in.**

 

He frowns, staring at the message, before replying:

 

**Tony, 12:34**

**I thought they were 'dark' right now? Why would the news cover them?**

 

 

A second later, he receives:

 

**Rhodey, 12:35**

**Something happened.**

 

 

He freezes. What? Something _happened_? Like _what?_  !

 

**Tony, 12:35**

**What happened? What do you mean?? Is Luke okay????**

 

He doesn't get a reply, which probably means that Rhodey doesn't know and is finding it out for him. His blood feels cold, his hands shaking a little, and he tries to calm himself down in case anyone notices. He didn't think the knowledge of something like this would affect him so much, but God. He feels sick.

"Morning Tony," Steve exits the elevator beside him, a towel around his neck and his jogging clothes on, "Anything new?"

"Just Clint bugging me about where I've been again," He answers vaguely, as calm as he can be; still staring down at his phone, "How was your jog?"

Steve pauses at that, giving him a look, "Uh. Fine? Thanks for asking." Oops. So much for being casual. "Are you okay?" You look a little pale."

"I'm fine." He shuts his phone off then, hoping to feel a buzz soon, "Just a little distracted, Cap, don't worry about it." He quickly turns to walk away then, before he can get questioned some more and sits beside Clint again, reaching for the remote to change the channel to get rid of the worry over the news, but it's snatched back.

"I'm watching." Clint mutters, smiling when he enjoys whatever expression Tony makes at that. He holds the remote above his head, with the pretense of a stretch, as though thinking Tony'll make a grab for it. He doesn't, and only gets up instead, wondering what he should do to try and zone his mind out until Rhodey replies again.

Unfortunately, he bumps into Natasha on his way out, "Where are you off to in such a hurry? Going to see your boyfriend?"

A second too late, he realizes she's joking and says, "Huh?" Before snapping out of it and giving her a light shove, "Which one? There's got to be at least 15 now." She smiles, her eyes showing him something else, and he knows he's revealed a little tidbit for her to mull over now. But oh well. It's not like it's a state secret, and it's not like he's going to keep it from them all forever.

He's just about to leave again, before JARVIS suddenly turns the volume to the news all the way up and he freezes, turning back to listen. A news reporter finishes her report about the attacks on Gaza and so on, displaying a sympathy she probably doesn't really feel anyway, as they usually don't, before shuffling some papers over the table and clearing her throat.

"In other news, a reconnaissance mission, previously kept from public knowledge to keep the soldiers safe, has come to light." He moves past Natasha without even looking, coming closer to the television to see her all the more better, "The group was collecting information regarding threats of terror coming from several US groups in Eastern countries. Their job was to discover the hideouts and ensure that these American citizens were not harming those that they were living around. Unfortunately, their group was attacked."

Tony leans over the sofa, barely hearing Natasha as she asks if he's alright.

"We have been informed that Squad 091 has no survivors as of yet, though soldiers are searching. 092 was present during the attack and there is no word of their whereabouts at this point in time. Our thoughts go out to the relatives and loved ones of those soldiers and - "

The world grows fuzzy as Tony listens, his hands gripping the back of the sofa tight, and before either Clint or Natasha can react, he takes a step back and falls against the table behind; sending everything clattering when he faints.

.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's so short! I just wanted that ending :P
> 
> My tumblr is frostironistheperfectotp.tumblr.com/ Come say hi! :D


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **One** : I don't know much about the US army system, so apologies for any mistakes!
> 
>  **Two** : _I do_ , by Colbie Caillat is my song for this pairing. Have a listen :D  
> .

.

* * *

 

Tony wakes, flashing his eyes open with a cry, to Rhodey staring down at him.

He immediately scrambles to get out of the bed that he's in, panicking beyond measure, but he barely even gets anywhere at all before there's Bruce's hands on his shoulders, gently lowering him, "Hey, _easy_. You've got a bit of a bump on the head, Tony, don't go running out just yet."

"Where - ?" He swallows, darting his eyes everywhere as he remembers exactly what had happened just before he'd fallen, "I - ?"

"You fainted." Comes from the doorway, and he rolls his head around to see Steve standing there with his arms folded, "At least, that's what I got from Clint. Thought he was making fun of you at first, though, before I saw you just lying there."

"Um. ... right." Still a little disorientated, he runs a hand through his hair, wincing when he comes across that bump that Bruce mentioned before. Must have been the table. "Uh. Sorry. For the mess?" He tries to sit up again, slower this time, and Bruce doesn't bother stopping him, "Guess that's what happens when you spend all night working on a - "

"Tony, don't bother, I told them." Rhodey interrupts his lie and he freezes, "... I had to." Oh. _Oh_.

Well great.

"Would have kinda loved to have done that _myself_ , Rhodey." He at least looks guilty about it but the stern posture that he's taken lets Tony know exactly how much he still thinks that it'd been the right thing to do, "But - whatever. Fine." His voice begins to get smaller, quieter, and he tries to cling to a calm he doesn't really feel at all, "Makes this easier then, I guess." He can't quite get the question out after that, though, for whatever reason. His throat closes around the words and he knows that he must look ridiculous with his lips parted and his expression too desperate to not pity, but he's obviously understood anyway because -

"He's alive." Tony visibly sags, "Worse thing he's got is a broken leg."

"He's okay?" He actually _cro_ _acks_ it out. Rhodey nods with a small smile, putting a hand on his shoulder, "Where is he?"

"Still off the grid. But his plane's coming in tomorrow, apparently. I'll take you there when it arrives, to see him."

Tony shakes his head, about to refuse at first with _'what about the media'_ on the tip of his tongue, but then he puts himself in Luke's shoes and ignores whatever else there is factoring in. Nothing cancels out his need to be there.

"Thanks. That'd be - yeah. Good." Steve pushes off of the door then, a wordless gesture that causes Rhodey to lean back and take the chair beside the bed instead. Tony sighs, "Okay, before you ask why I never - "

"I don't care, Tony," He's interrupted, making him blink and turn to look at Steve properly, "You never brought him into the tower, so it's really none of our business. We're not - going to lash out at you for not telling us you had someone else in your life. We all do."

That's news. " _You're_ seeing someone?"

"No," Laughing slightly, "That's not what I meant. We all have separate lives that we don't want, or _need_ , to share so - "

"I do want to share it." Tony protests, "I just - didn't know how to bring it up. I was, _actually,_ going to after this party we hosted together, but other extraneous factors sort of ... halted that." And now this.

"Okay." Smiling, and not looking the least bit disgusted, wary or angry, Steve takes a seat as well while Bruce continues to look over Tony as subtly as he can - listening in instead of participating, as he usually does, "Then let's share. What's his name?"

Uh huh. Raising an eyebrow, Tony's just about to answer with something sarcastic when Clint and Natasha walk past, see that he's awake and backtrack to walk inside, "Hey, if it isn't our resident Victorian," Clint grins as though he truly thinks he's hilarious, putting on an awful attempt at a posh British accent, "Done fainting for the week, _m'lady?"_

"How are you feeling?" Is Natasha's less-amused question, though she still smirks a little at Clint's.

"Fine. _Relieved._ "

"Yeah, I bet." Gesturing, Clint asks, "You never told me you knew Luke."

Uh ... Tony looks at Rhodey but he only gets a shrug, "He ... never told me he knew _you_."

"Oh, he doesn't. Well - he does. I mean, he knows a Sgt Pollock, not a Clint Barton." Oh. "But he's a good guy." Tony smiles. " _And ._.. that's all I'm saying on the subject. Besides, obviously, when he has to go through the tests to be allowed to see the tower, I'll - vouch for him."

"Much appreciated." He swipes the patronising pat on the head away with a laugh and turns his smile to Natasha, "You don't know him too, do you? Because otherwise, it's just unfair."

She smiles back at him, "No. But if the way you've been acting these past few months is because of him, then a meeting would be good."

"I'll do what I can, but we're both very busy men."

"Uh huh." Softening her smile now, she leans closer, setting a stuck-up strand of hair down on his forehead from where Clint had flicked it up, "It's a good look on you, Tony. A loving relationship." He opens his mouth, "Don't. Deny it. I can see it all over you."

"I wasn't going to," He grins, "I was actually going to say something dirty, but never mind, moments lost."

"I'm sure we'll live." Rhodey chuckles behind them at that, and Tony gives him a look before waving as Natasha leaves the room as well.

"So his name's Luke?" Steve then picks up on, in the brief silence that follows, and Tony sighs to himself, "What? Can't I ask?"

Bruce switches the tablet/medical notes off, patting Steve on the shoulder as he passes, "Let Tony see him back first, then ask. You'll probably have about three weeks before you meet him anyway."

Looking a little put-off and disappointed, Steve nonetheless agrees and stands to follow him out, smiling at Tony before he goes, "Please, uh, don't take offense to this, but. I'm really glad that your newest secret is something less destructive than it usually is. That it's as ... _simple_ as this. It's nice." Tony scowls at him, "It is. It's a good thing to happen to you, Tony, and - we're happy for you."

"Please shut up." With a snort he at least _does_ , and shuts the door after him. Tony slumps, still scowling at both the implications, "Jesus. I expected that from _you_ the first time, pumpkin, but you just seemed pretty underwhealmed by it all."

"Doesn't mean _I'm_ not happy for you too, Tone." Oh God. Save him now.

 

~

* * *

~

 

Amidst various visits, jibes and comfort talks, the day actually passes by pretty quickly and Tony's genuinely exhausted by the end of it.

His head spins whenever he thinks about tomorrow, and he embarrassingly finds himself with his arms wrapped around himself, curling up under the blanket as though Luke was the one doing it instead; more than four times actually. But - that doesn't have to mean anything. He wonders, belatedly, if this had been what Pepper had felt, way back when he'd returned from Afghanistan, and now that he knows all about her feelings for him - or, he should say, _old_ feelings - he supposes that she probably would have been in the same state that he is right now.

God, he's so nervous. He doesn't know why, it's only been two months, and he knows Luke's alive but -

Well maybe it's just the fear that he'd felt when he'd heard about the attack on the news, that sharp emotion now bleeding out of him like a withdrawal of adrenaline. He buries his face into the pillow, mumbling for JARVIS to tell him the time every hour that he's awake, until he eventually falls asleep at around 1am. It isn't a pleasant night in any kind of way.

.

Bombs follow him in his dreams.

Shadowing his every footstep and knocking him off course wherever he tries to run. He staggers around, bleeding and terrified, until he sees Yinsen standing in the corner of an old, torn-apart camp, holding a hand out for Tony to take.

He heads toward him, glad to see a friend, but Obadiah blocks it with a hideous face that's now fleshed out and decomposing. Tony yells in outright fear and disgust, backing away and turning to run in the opposite direction, hearing Yinsen's cries as Stane devours him but he can't stop. He _can't_. He has to get to Luke, he has to make sure that he's okay, that he still -

" _Stark!_ "

Light suddenly drowns him and he gasps, squinting his eyes open to see a glaze of orange fill his sight. "Good Morning Tony." He doesn't bother replying, conscious of morning breath, and mostly because he isn't even sure how he'll sound after a dream like that either. "Mr Faray's plane is coming in at 1 and it's 10, so I thought I'd wake you."

Tony stares at her, before blinking sharply and sitting up, reaching across for the glass of water Bruce had left for him and watching as she moves a little further back to let him wake up properly, "Pep?"

She raises an eyebrow, "Surprise. Now get up and get dressed, I bought you two outfits so pick and choose between them."

"You're not my PA anymore, you know." Still, he tugs the blanket off and staggers out of the bed, running his hands through his hair, "You don't have to run around after me like this."

"I know," Reaching behind her, she grabs a cup of still-steaming hot coffee and hands it to him, "And I'm not. I'm doing this as a friend only, because if _someone_ doesn't you're going to stand staring at your reflection for at least an hour before remembering how to live like an actual human being." He glares at her. "I speak from experience." Picking up her purse, she turns away, "The clothes are in the bags."

Looking at them himself, he almost does freeze up entirely just as she'd predicted, "... does it really matter what I wear?"

Pausing, Pepper sighs softly, looking over her shoulder, "I've moved every one of my meetings to another day so I can be here for you Tony. And I will be. It'll be okay." He nods without really looking and only starts when she finally walks back toward him and pulls him into her arms, "Rhodey told you he was alive right."

"Yeah," Still quiet, he clears his throat, his vision getting stupidly blurry without his control and he _hates_ that but can't seem to stop it either, "But 'alive' doesn't always mean - "

"Tony. He's returning from duty, not from an operation or war scene. If something were _really_ wrong, they'd tell us." No. He's not family, he's not been put down as a spouse or fiance, because he isn't either. He's just a boyfriend, and even with 'DADT' in effect, no one's going to feel obliged to tell him much of anything.

But just so Pepper will leave him alone, he nods slowly and lets her go; smiling as she leaves before letting it drop and throwing himself down onto the bed with a groan. The bags that she'd left have the two outfits that she'd mentioned neatly folded into them. His black, pressed suit, and buttoned-down white shirt with jeans. He decides to mix them around a bit and has the jeans and shirt with the blazer from the suit, chewing the inside of his cheeks as he brushes his hair back before brushing his teeth.

He looks a lot fresher when he's done, and opts out of the sunglasses, well aware of how the media will perceive those as, in this sort of situation. And the media will _definately_ be there, no stopping them.

Taking a breath, he slips his socked feet into some trainers, shaking his head to rid any more of those doubts and grabbing his cell before he forgets, leaving the room as slowly as he can - keeping up a mantra in his head: ' _He's okay. Just a welcoming. He's okay. Just a welcoming ..._ '

He steps out of the medical wing eventually, and into the main living space before rubbing the toes of his shoes down as he halts; blinking twice. "Um."

"Oh, good, he's here." Natasha stands from where she'd been lounging, "That's all of us then. Shall we head out?" Okay, so he's woken into another dream again. Clearly sensing his ever growing confusion, Natasha smiles at him, "In case it's not obvious, we're coming with you Tony."

Looking at how formal she's dressed, alongside the formal Pepper and the formal-casual Clint, Steve and Bruce, Tony's eyebrows rise significantly so that Steve actually has to step forward to try and halt his answer, "Uh. No, you're not. This isn't going to be an Avengers PR thing. This is me going to see my boyfriend after two months Army-time thing. That's it."

"Two months is a lifetime for someone like you, Tony," Natasha continues, "And it isn't a _PR_ thing. It's a support-a-teammate thing." He folds his arms across his chest, "Come on, we all got dressed for it." Then _un_ dress for it, he wants to say, but part of him is actually a little touched. And besides, if he wants to get there a lot earlier than the time, which he does, then arguments are only going to waste time.

"Fine. But you better keep up with my driving, because I'm not stopping." He lifts his chin up, ignoring Steve's small smile at that demand, and walks past them toward the elevator. As he passes, though, he does stop for just a second to murmur to Natasha a quick, "Thanks." Before he's gone.

"Shotgun!" Clint calls out, as though anyone's really going to fight him on it, and he smiles at the lack of response when they all manage to bundle in. Before any buttons are pressed, however, Tony realises: "Wait. Where's Rhodey?"

"Meeting you there," Bruce answers, pulling at his collar before eventually unbuttoning it. Something about tight clothes just doesn't sit well with him, as they all know, and none of them don't really blame him for it either, "He has a couple of ceremonial things to do before anything else."

Right.

The elevator then moves on past the labs, stocks and so on, until it eventually stops at the cars. Tony exists there with Pepper while the others continue on for the ground floor, to get their own rides while he ends up going with the _Viper_ and driving it down the sloped exit route.

"They know the directions, right?" He asks Pepper, waiting for her answering nod before putting his foot down and buckling his seatbelt on at the same time. "Good."

 

~

* * *

~

 

Rhodey meets Tony at the edge of the runway, steering him away from the reporters that take a huge interest in his appearance here, asking questions about the weapons used as though that's the only reason he ever goes anywhere nowadays.

The General that Luke had told him about, General Talbot, seems to be nothing more than a Grade-A jerk but he at least also seems to care about 'his boys' which is something, and right now, it means more to Tony than his personality does. He doesn't bother shaking Tony's hand on arrival, only nodding his approval that he can be here before turning back to the runway, waiting for the plane to come into view; his hands clasped cockily behind his back.

Rhodey then shows Tony the 'family' area, quietly adding; "Ignore the General. He just doesn't like the fact that Stark Industries left weapons behind." Tony just shrugs at him, looking up as the others finally arrive, meeting with Pepper who knows them the way inside and where Tony is. "The plane's due to touch down in 10. I've just got to speak to Talbot for a bit and then I'm coming."

"It's fine." Tony smiles, "Stay where you need to be, if you have to," Giving a look toward the others again, he makes a face, "As you can see, I'm not exactly _lacking_ in any support." Giving him a light shove, another clue that he needs to wait by the other families or he's in trouble, Rhodey leaves him there and heads back toward the General; saluting as he makes eye-contact.

Tony could so easily pull the right strings and make Rhodey a General. He deserves it, anyone can see it, but the guy would rather work his way there; trying hard to ignore anything that implies what might be holding him back, because unfortunately the US is still as prejudiced as ever.

He sighs to himself, heading over for the family area when Natasha and Bruce finally catch up, Clint and Steve talking to each other and walking a little slower behind.

"Nervous?" Bruce asks.

"Beyond belief." Honesty is the best policy after all.

"Yeah me too." Tony glances at him, "I keep expecting General _Ross_ to appear somewhere around here." Oh. "And yeah, I know he's got no right to attack me now but - old habits die hard."

"It's okay," Putting a hand on his shoulder, Tony smiles as comfortingly as he can, stepping to the side to make room for Steve and Clint now and still managing to remain hidden enough from the reporters. No paparazzi as of yet, but they're likely on their way, if word about this has gotten through.

So great. Without even trying, he's made what should be a family reunion for these people, into a public _celeb_ -show. Typical. Maybe he could just -

His phone suddenly buzzes, and he almost flings it to the ground with how fast he pulls it out of his jean pocket.

 

**Luke, 12:58**

**Look up.**

 

 

He immediately smiles to himself at that, putting the phone back and looking up just as the first sound of a plane overhead fills his ears. Pepper slips past Natasha to stand beside him, smiling at whatever look must be on his face, and they all watch as one as the plane begins it's final touchdown over the runway. It's smaller than most, standard Stark-design for the army, and he feels more than a little proud at that, because it practically means that he brought Luke _home_ in a way.

Here we go.

General Talbot hops to the stairs once they clip on, welcoming each soldier down with a shake of the hand after they salute him. They line up, forming a path for their Lt.Colonel and Tony actually sucks in a breath, biting his lip as he waits for Luke to desend the stairs as well. A second passes, two more, and he forces himself to not tense up.

Almost a minute later, though, there's movement in the door, and Luke appears; holding up an injured soldier between him and another, supporting him down the steps. A stretcher is brought and the man's laid out over it, before the other soldiers disband to go and see their own familes. Talbot follows the stretcher, introducing himself to a woman who runs up to meet it, pressing a kiss to the injued soldier's lips as he's rolled away.

Tony finds himself watching them go, wondering if the situation could have been different in any way, and that that could have been him instead. Maybe. Or maybe it could have been _worse._ He pushes the thought out from his mind, turning back to the plane only to feel the air rush out of him just as Luke finishes a conversation with a fellow soldier and turns to see him.

"Tony?" Pepper nudges him slightly but he ignores her, and - well. Not wanting to just stand around any longer, he breaks out of the group and heads off himself to meet him himself. "... hey."

"Hey." Smiling down at him, Luke tips his cap, "You ... bought guests." Right. The Avengers.

"Uh - Rhodey told them?" He's given a look. "It's true. I ... reacted badly to the news about your squad and he had to tell them."

"Reacted badly?" A little concerned now, Luke frowns down at him, "Wha - ?"

"I fainted." Blunt always helps. "Onto a table." He presses his lips together. "Even got the bump to prove it." That draws a smile now, and Luke eventually leans closer.

"God I missed you." At that, Tony doesn't waste any time in rising to his toes and kissing him hard, fisting his hands in the lapels of his outer-jacket, and breathing him in to - no. _Soaking_ him in, having missed him for so long, and his hearing may or may not have fuzzed out because he doesn't even hear the camera's when they flash around them both.

Luke's hand presses on the dip of his lower back, pulling him closer, and he winces just a little but it's enough for Tony to pull back, the question in his eyes, "It's fine. Just - bruised ribs."

"I'll get JARVIS to scan you properly in the car." He's tugged even closer then, and Luke's face hides in his neck as they hug, before -

"So," Against his skin, Luke murmurs softly, keeping his eyes closed, "How many episodes of _Veronica Mars_ did I miss, while I was gone?" Tony makes a strange mixture of a noise, a twist between a sob, giggle and scoff.

And then he kisses him again. 

.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me tell you, I had many ideas that could have made this angsty as hell, but this is my fluffy, corny fic so they're gone :)


	7. Chapter 7

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**Hello. I am sorry to give false hope of a new chapter, but this is just a warning.**

**I am working on a project that will take a lot of my time away from fic writing. I will still try to update but please don't send me messages about them if I don't soon.**

**Hopefully, if this project works out, it'll all be for my readers anyway.**

**Thank you for understanding. This will be deleted when there is a new chapter.**

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